Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 1: Texts
General
Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 1: Texts
English literature -- Middle English, 1100-1500
[Linenotes:
111. After _drehe_ an erasure of three letters MS. ||
112. _leggeð_ corr. out of _leggen_ MS. || 113. _þ̵_] _⁊_ MS.]
ȝe quoð þis meiden þ̵ mei crist welden. for ne mahe ȝe nawt don
me bute hwet he wule þeauien ow to muchelin mi mede ⁊ te murðe
þ̵ lið to meiðhades menske for euer so ȝe mare merrið me her{;}
so mi crune bið brihtre ⁊ fehere. for ichulle bliðeliche drehen
euer{}euch derf for mi deore lauerdes luue. ant softe me {105}
bið euch derf hwen ich him serui þah þume to elewsium willes
biteache{;} ne ȝeue ich for inc nowðer. þ̵ ȝe me mahen harmen.
for so ȝe mare me her harmeð. so mare [3]e me helpeð seoueuald
to heouene. ⁊ ȝef ȝe me doð to deaðe hit bið me deorewurðe ant
ich schal þer þ{urh} bliðe bicumen into endelese blissen ant ȝe
schulen wrecches {110} áwei ower wurðes þ̵ ȝe iboren weren
sinken to wraðer heale ow to þe bale bitter deope into helle.
++Ȝe q{uo}ð þis meiden þ̵ mei godd welden. ne mahe ȝe nawt do me
bute þet he wule þeauien ⁊ þolien ow to donne to mu{c}li mi
mede {125} ⁊ te murhðe þ̵ lið to meiðhades menske. for eauer se
ȝe nu her mearreð me mare{;} se mi crune schal beon brihttre ba
⁊ fehere. for{}þi ich chulle bliðeliche ⁊ wið bliðe heorte
drehen eauer euch derf. for mi leofmones luue þe lufsume
lau{er}d ⁊ softe me bið euch sar in his seruise. þu wult þu
seist aȝeoue me to eleusium þe luðere. {130} a{}ȝef [f. 40v] me
for nawiht ne ȝeoue ich for inc nowðer. Þet ȝe mahen ane pine me
here. Ah hit ne hearmeð me nawt ah helpeð ⁊ heueð up ⁊ makeð
mine murhðes monifalde in heouene. ant ȝef ȝe doð me to deað.
hit bið deore to godd. ⁊ ich schal bliðe bicumen to endelese
blissen. ant ȝe schulen wrecches wei ower wurðes. {135} þ̵ ȝe
weren iþe worlt iboren ⁊ i{}broht forð se wraðer heale ȝe schule
sinken adun to sar ⁊ to eche sorhe. to bitternesse ant to bale
deope into helle.
[Linenote:
125. _mutli_ MS.]
+H+ire feder affrican þ{urh} þis bittre teone bitahte hire to
elewsium þe luðere [f. 59v] reue. ant he lette bringen hire
biuoren him to his heh seotel as he set in dome as reue of þe
burhe . . . {115}
[++A]ffrican hire feader bitterliche iteonet bitahtte hire
eleusium þe luðere reue of rome ⁊ lette bringen hire biuoren
his {140} eh{}sihðe. as he set ⁊ demde. þe hehe burh domes. . .
. . . .
[f. 61r] þa elewsius iseh þis þ̵ ha þus feng on to festnen hire
seoluen þohte þ̵ he walde anan don hire ut of dahene ⁊ bed swiðe
bringen hire brune of wallinde breas ant healden on hire heauet
þ̵ hit urne endelong hire leofliche bodi dun to þe helen ant swa
me dude sone. ah hire hende healent wiste hire unweommet.
elewsius {120} warð wod ut of his witte. ant nuste hwet seggen ⁊
het swiðe don hire ut of his ehsihðe. ⁊ dreihen hire into darc
hus ⁊ p{ri}sunes pine. ant he duden sone. Heo as ha þrinne wes
in þeosternesse hire ane feng te cleopien to crist ant bidden
þeos bone.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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